In my experience, you get different types of family members. You get the ones that really support you when you tell them what type of work you want to do or whatever big life decision you have made. Then you get the type that tells you all the reasons you will fail at the profession you have selected.
This is the type of family member I will be discussing.
Recently I decided I wanted to become a dog walker. I told my mom this and she was like "I think that is a very good fit for you. That's great! Go ahead! Go for it!" My dad reacted slightly differently. He did agree that it is a very good fit for me, but then he started listing all the reasons why it wouldn't be a good fit for me. "But people walk their dogs by themselves." "You can only walk dogs of a certain size." When I said I only want to walk them in the afternoons because of Zoe, he said "You have to be flexible." "You have to be able to controll the dog." He has been saying that I need to get a job.
I do agree with these things, but I have had dogs most of my life. I am pretty sure I know what I'm getting into. I have researched this. But this is not the first time my family has encouraged me to do something, then tried to stop me from doing that very thing.
Many years ago, my mom started suggesting to me that I move out. A few years later I met Shawn and wanted to move to live with him. My dad wondered what the big draw, what the big reason, was for me wanting to do that. My mom asked me if I knew how to be a wife. The big draws were me being with him and me being happy. Did I know how to be a wife? Maybe not, but then she could hardly say that she was the perfect wife.
If you really want to help an Aspie (or anyone for that matter) don't tell them to do something, and then try to discourage them from doing that very thing.
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